In the concrete industry, “screeding-boards” are common tools used to level concrete that has been freshly poured. For the purposes of this specification and the claims contained herein, the term “plastic concrete” shall refer to freshly-poured concrete that has not yet set up and hardened.
The types of screeds used in levelling plastic concrete vary from planks of wood, such as “2×4's”, which are manually pushed or pulled through the concrete, to mechanical screeds which are powered. Often, the type of screed used depends on the size and complexity of the surface area to be levelled.
Manual screeds continue to be used in the majority of concrete projects. Manual screeds are necessarily used for small surface areas, slopes and around difficult spaces such as drains and columns. However, conventional manual screeds are laborious to use and difficult to manoeuvre through the concrete. Conventional manual screeds are also problematic due to difficulties consistently and accurately maintaining the screed level throughout the screeding process.
The use of 2×4 wooden timbers or metal bars of similar dimensions are not ergonomically comfortable or healthy for an operator to use over extended periods of time. It is, therefore, desirable to provide a hand screed that is ergonomically shaped, that reduces health risks to operators and that is comfortable to hold and use in levelling freshly poured concrete.